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Stampeders score thrilling win over Esks

Jeremaine Copeland reeled in his second touchdown of the game with just 22 seconds to play as the Calgary Stampeders came from behind to beat the Edmonton Eskimos 35-34 on Friday.

Fri., Sept. 11, 2009

EDMONTON – Jeremaine Copeland reeled in his second touchdown of the game with just 22 seconds to play as the Calgary Stampeders came from behind to beat the Edmonton Eskimos 35-34 on Friday.

With Edmonton leading 35-28 in the final minute of play, Calgary quarterback Henry Burris engineered a long drive to earn the one-point victory, finished off with an 18-yard toss to Copeland.

It was the third win in a row for the Stamps (6-4) who broke a three-way deadlock to take sole possession of first place in the CFL's West Division.

The Stampeders swept the home-and-home series with the rival Eskimos after a 32-8 win in Calgary on Labour Day.

The Eskimos equalled their touchdown total from Monday's loss on their opening drive as they methodically marched 75 yards downfield, culminating in a 22-yard TD toss from quarterback Ricky Ray to Fred Stamps.

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Calgary responded with a 44-yard field goal from Sandro DeAngelis for a 7-3 score after the first quarter.

Edmonton briefly looked to have added to its lead early in the second quarter as Calgary returner Titus Ryan bobbled a punt and Eskimo Bobby Keyes fell on it in the end zone, but Edmonton was called for a no-yards penalty on the play.

The Eskimos got the ball back quickly anyway as Burris was picked off by Rod Davis, who took the ball 32 yards back to the Stamps' 12. That would lead to a four-yard TD toss from Ray to Jamaica Rector for the 14-3 edge as the Eskimos gambled on a third down situation.

The Stamps responded less than two minutes later. Burris marched them downfield and capped the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Thelwell to make it 14-10.

Edmonton looked poised to add to its lead after a 33-yard pass interference call took them into the Calgary red zone, but defensive back John Eubanks picked off Ray on the six yard-line.

Calgary's defence came up big again with just under two minutes to play as Jim Davis nailed Ray before he could get a pass away and recovered the fumble in Edmonton territory. A pass interference call took it down to the six and Calgary took its first lead of the game with 1:02 to play in the half as Burris hit Copeland for a passing touchdown to surge ahead 17-14.

Edmonton tied the game up early in the third as a Kelly Malveaux interception led to a Noel Prefontaine field goal.

The Edmonton secondary who didn't record an interception in the first seven games of the season came up big again just minutes later as T.J. Hill picked off Burris and then dished the ball off to Maurice Lloyd, who rambled 32 yards to the Calgary seven. It eventually led to a one-yard push into the end zone by Matthieu Bertrand and a 24-17 Eskimos lead five minutes into the third.

The Eskimos kept coming midway through the quarter as Tristan Jackson broke several tackles for a 63-yard punt return to the Calgary 31, leading to another Prefontaine field goal and a 10-point advantage.

Calgary quickly responded with a DeAngelis field goal set up by a 45-yard passing strike to Copeland.

The Eskimos caught a massive break on the final play of the third quarter as Ryan bobbled yet another punt and the ball bounced off a helmet and into the waiting arms of Kai Ellis who sprinted 40 yards for the special teams touchdown and a 34-20 Edmonton lead.

Calgary got a point on a missed 42-yard field goal attempt and then closed to within six points midway through the fourth on a four-yard TD run by Burris to put Calgary within range for their late stage comeback.

Calgary suits up again next Friday in Hamilton while the Eskimos next see action next Sunday in Saskatchewan.

Notes: The attendance for the Labour Day rematch was 46,212. ... The Eskimos had a couple of injured players back in the lineup as linebacker Maurice Lloyd and fullback Mathieu Bertrand returned. However running back Calvin McCarty remained out with a hamstring injury. ... Edmonton fullback Graeme Bell left the game with a knee injury and did not return. ... It was Edmonton's first game with Kevin Strasser as offensive co-ordinator. Rick Worman was relieved of that position after Monday's drubbing in Calgary. ... The Stampeders entered the game as the highest scoring team in the CFL while the Esks had allowed the most points. ... The past five Calgary-Edmonton games at Commonwealth had been decided by five points or less. ... The last three teams to get swept in the Labour Day series have missed the playoffs altogether – Calgary in 2002 and 2004 and Edmonton in 2007.

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